6.5.2026 12:30:06 CEST | Demant A/S | Investor News
Investor news | 6 May 2026 |
Expansion of Demant's Executive Leadership Team
New President of Hearing Aids and member of Demant's Executive Leadership Team
Søren Nielsen to fully focus on his position as President & CEO of Demant
Effective 1 June 2026, Bassel Rifai will join Demant as President of the Hearing Aids business area and become a member of the Executive Leadership Team and thus take part in driving Demant's strategy forward.
As part of this change, Søren Nielsen will step out of his role as President of Hearing Aids to focus fully on his position as President & CEO of the Demant Group. Since assuming the role of CEO of the Demant Group in 2017, Søren Nielsen has concurrently held the position as President of Hearing Aids. During this period, Demant almost doubled in size. This development supports a strengthened focus on the continued execution of the Group's strategy and reflects the significant potential for further value creation and cross-business collaboration, enabled by Søren Nielsen's industry knowledge, as he will now focus fully on the Group's overall strategy and performance.
"I am pleased to welcome Bassel Rifai as the new President of Hearing Aids and member of Demant's Executive Leadership Team. With a strategic mindset, Bassel brings a strong combination of a background in engineering and deep commercial leadership experience in medical technologies. With his in-depth understanding of healthcare markets, I am confident that Bassel, supported by the Hearing Aids leadership team and thousands of dedicated and passionate colleagues around the world, is the right profile to ensure that our Hearing Aids business continues to deliver industry-leading innovation and growth," says Søren Nielsen, President & CEO of Demant.
Commenting on his new role, Bassel Rifai says: "I'm very excited to join Demant at an important point in its growth journey. The company has a proud 120-year legacy and impressive track record of innovation and growth, with even more potential ahead to address hearing loss. I am inspired by the company's purpose, to create life-changing differences through hearing health. And I look forward to leading the Hearing Aids organisation to advance our market position and deliver meaningful outcomes for users and customers."
Bassel Rifai has spent the majority of his career in international medical technology companies. Most recently, he served as EVP & President of EMEA & APAC at Ambu. Prior to that, he held senior leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson in global, US, and European roles, across marketing, general management and sales. Before that, he worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company. Bassel holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from UCLA.
Curriculum vitae - Bassel Rifai
2021 - now: Ambu
- EVP & President EMEA & APAC
- SVP Chief Marketing Officer
2014 - 2021: Johnson & Johnson
- Vice President, Global & US Marketing - Spine
- General Manager - US Osteo-biologics
- Sales Director - UK Orthopedics
- Director - Orthopedics EMEA
2011 - 2014: McKinsey & Company
- Engagement Manager - Healthcare
Further information: Søren Nielsen, President & CEO Phone +45 3917 7300 www.demant.com | Other contacts: René Schneider, CFO Peter Pudselykke, Head of Investor Relations Gustav Høegh, Investor Relations Officer Maribel Alonso Francisco, Communication Manager |
Contacts
- Maribel Alonso Francisco, Communication Manager, +45 3171 9261, msbl@demant.com
About Demant A/S
Demant is a world-leading hearing healthcare group that offers innovative technologies, solutions and expertise to help people hear better. In every aspect, from hearing care and hearing aids to diagnostic equipment and services, Demant is active and engaged. Headquartered in Denmark, the Group employs more than 26,000 people globally and is present with solutions in 130 countries creating life-changing differences through hearing health. William Demant Foundation holds the majority of shares in Demant A/S, which is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen and among the 25 most traded stocks.
